Downtown Nightlife Reaching New ‘Levels’

To better serve the party needs of the State College community, Levels Nightclub is setting up shop at the former location of The Mezzanine, which the old-timers might better remember as the Cell Block or the Crow Bar.

However, the new owners of the infamous boogie spot aren’t rolling with the same old sleazy vibe that lingered over the seemingly cursed 420 East College Ave store front. Levels is hoping to be the defibrillator that jump starts the downtown entertainment scene.

With $2 million in improvements, Levels is transforming the way Penn State parties by investing in state-of-the-art sound equipment, lighting and other extravagant additions that are lightyears ahead of the club life we’re used to. Levels Nightclub is taking the professional club atmosphere–usually reserved for New York, Miami and LA–and dropping it into the college town that turned a rural, land grant institution into one of the biggest names in raging.

But it isn’t the lasers that make the party and Levels is well aware of that. With a dedication to fresh, up-and-coming entertainment, Levels hopes to wrangle the acts that are making waves on MTV2 and We Are Hunter for the caliber of concerts that are unattainable by entities like SPA.

Every month, Levels will play host to national acts in genres ranging from Top 40 to House music. There will also be openings for smaller names and local performers on the Levels event calendar along with alternative nights for those artists who are bending the conventions of modern music. Talent that previously occupied our Spotify playlists or the bills of big-name music festivals will now (hopefully) be making stops in Happy Valley.

Further proving a dedication to entertainment, Levels will be working with the Bryce Jordan Center to book artists that will draw a crowd larger than the capacity of the night club can handle–like last semester’s Avicii show that everyone remembers. According to sources at Levels, there are already 6-8 concerts in the works for this calendar year. In fact, they say one show will be announced today on their Facebook page.

But the party won’t stop when the BJC kills the stage lights. Levels will be hosting after parties for performing artists and fans who are dedicated to waking up feeling like P. Diddy.

The management for Levels Nightclub aren’t new comers to the entertainment game. Their staff has worked with numerous artists like Skrillex, Afrojack, and Steve Aoki at venues across the map like Pacha, Mansion, Madison Square Gardens and the famous rave festival, Electric Daisy Carnival. That track record is enough to give any electro enthusiast a candy flip flash back.

The official grand opening date will be announced next week along with the headlining performer. If the suspense is killing you, calm down. Because I’ve been told that the ribbon is slated to be cut by roughly the end of February–just in time for State Patty’s Day.

Levels Nightclub is sure to take the State College entertainment scene to new levels. They’re even planning to almost double the roughly 8,000 square foot location with new additions that will spill over into neighboring store fronts. But those plans won’t come to fruition until August though–sorry seniors. At least you’ll be able to spend some of your last semester at Penn State enjoying high-caliber parties on a budget your parent’s credit card just can’t provide.

If Levels spent $2 million just on initial renovations, we can only imagine the crazy shit that will follow.

A group of Penn State feminists combated the Willard Preacher’s hateful rhetoric about sexuality and women by staging a flashmob to the tune of “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Watch the video and weigh in after the jump.